The Recruit

33. Wanda

Wanda sat in the back of the jet with the trainees completely on edge. Chaos magic was crackling just under her skin, making her feel like an exposed wire. She had known there was something wrong with Steve since they'd come back from the mission. Everyone did, but his thought patterns had been altered. Almost like there was something in him changing who he was. Everyone was calling it PTSD and said he was working on it, so she just let herself believe that was all it was, because what else could it be?

She felt guilty now because whatever was going on with Steve was much bigger than simply PTSD and she'd allowed people to dismiss her when she'd tried to warn them. Now she was on the way to try to find him with Clint and a bunch of unseasoned rookies and the recruit that had initiated this off-book rescue mission was the one in a relationship with six of her teammates, including Clint.

She felt awkward and antsy and ready to fight.

There was movement at the front of the jet and you stepped out. She could feel the nervousness radiating off you like you were sending sparks out at the group.

All the trainees looked over at you like you had two heads. Wanda supposed that made sense, here you were getting special access to Avengers things. They had to have all kinds of theories as to what was going on.

"What's going on?" Zuri asked.

You took a seat and let out a breath, looking over at Wanda. All she could think to do was nod, she hoped it was reassuring. This had nothing to do with her, but she wanted to make sure you didn't feel alone.

"So when we find Steve, things are going to get kind of emotional," she said. "There's - things - that people haven't wanted to become public, and I don't want you all the be blindsided. I've been lying to you."

"You are a spy!" Qadira yelped.

"No she's not," Zuri said. "She's dating Steve Rogers."

Wanda had to keep her face set, but she nearly started laughing. Zuri was so close to the real answer, but she'd just missed it.

"It explains so much," Zuri continued. "Why she couldn't tell us. Why he lost his shit on the last mission."

"No way," Jackie said. "Cap is dating Agent Carter. I'm sure of it."

You clicked your tongue. "Do you want the actual answers?" you asked.

"Right," Zuri said. "Continue."

"Well, you were both right," you said. "And not quite right. I told you I was seeing a few people. Well, I've joined a polycule. That group contains, Steve, Agent Carter, Clint -" you gestured over your shoulder with your thumb - "Sam Wilson, Natasha Romanoff, and James Barnes."

"What. The. Fuck?" Anderson hissed. "Are you serious?"

"Yes. I can't go into any details. I signed an NDA when I first even agreed to this. But I hope you can understand why I was lying to you, and why this has to stay a secret. I hate that it's a secret. I have wanted to talk to you all about it for a long time. And in case you were wondering, my recruitment and the dating were two separate things. Tony Stark recruited me just the way I said, not knowing that I'd been on a date with Sam Wilson and that the same night Sam had asked if I wanted to join their polycule. The only thing they have in common is that the reason I was out the front of the building to be able to save Tony's life was that I'd just been upstairs having dinner with Sam as he explained to me his unique relationship."

"No one thinks you're here because of nepotism," Jackie assured you.

"Yeah," Qadira added. "You're one of the best of us."